Month: February 2016

[An interview with Dan Bloom about his informal “Cli-Fi Ruminations” at @clifi on Twitter and Who They Are Intended For]

INTRO:

On Twitter, Cli-fi theorist Dan Bloom has shared many of his cli-fi musings, and compiled a list of them to share with other people — mostly intended, he says, for potential or would-be cli-fi novelists, academics studying the emergence of the genre, reporters researching news story about the rising genre and of course, current cli-fi writers themselves. And, he points out, readers of cli-fi, too.

You can find his list of some of his cli-fi thoughts on a blog here. We recently asked Bloom, who is not a novelist or a literary critic, why he sat down to write these thoughts down and how he did it, and who he had in mind when he wrote them down. He was kind enough to reply in a few emails to explain his zen-like ”cli-fi ruminations.”

QUESTION: So, Dan, what’s this all about? You’re not an academic, you don’t have a PhD, you’re not a literary theorist or a literary critic or a novelist, so what were you driving at in writing these thoughts down? And how did you do it?

DAN BLOOM: I wanted to gather my thoughts about what direction I felt cli-fi is going in, should go in, might go in in the future, and its philosophical and literary meanings. So using the 140 chararacter limit of the usual Twitter post, in order to keep my thoughts concise and brief — and readable, without being verbose — I sat down on my bed in my spare time, and lying on my back with my head propped up on a pillow, I merely jotted down on my cellphone screen shorts Tweets either late at night or early in the morning. I was just thinking to myself, and thought the ideas might be useful to writers, critics, academics, literary theorists, PhD scholars, book reviewers and readers.

QUESTION: And what do you hope the publication of these ideas might do?

DAN BLOOM: I wrote them down with no real purpose or intention, other than to try my hand at putting my thoughts down on paper (on screen, that is) and to see if anybody out there in readerland or writerland or academia or the literary criticism or book reviewer world might find some of the “cli-fi ruminations” useful or food for thought. That’s all. I mostly wrote them down for myself, though, to think out loud to myself and for myself, and to try to clarify in my own mind what cli-fi is all about now and might be about in the future. I really didn’t have any real purpose in mind, just to use the Twitter format to keep things neat and concise. And, I found out, as I began writing them down, about ten or twelve at every sitting, that the ideas were interesting and provocative to me, if nobody else. So I found the exercise, the thought experiment, useful for me, first of all. If anyone else gets anything out of them, great. I really just wanted to experiment with a short concise form to write down some ideas I have about the direction of cli-fi and its future.

QUESTION: So, then, which ones did you like best and which ones didn’t you like so much, after you wrote them down?

DAN BLOOM: Good question. In fact, I wrote them all down, without thinking of which ones “worked” or which ones didn’t. I just wanted to make a record and then see later on if it added up to anything. So yes, some of the ruminations work very well, and some don’t work as well, too, and I decided in the end, that in fact, it’s up to each reader to decide which of these ruminnations work for them, and which ones don’t. I didn’t edit myself, and I just let the thoughts come out, almost like writing poetry. The ideas just came out of my mind as I began typing. I am now writing about ten a day, and I plan to compile 100 or 500 or 1000 eventually. But I will be happy to reach 100.

QUESTION: Can you give us some examples of which ones you like best?

DAN BLOOM: Well, I like them all, of course, They are just a record of my thoughts as I jotted them down. But on looking at them later, I do see that some of them are more positive and inspiritng and even motivational than some of the others, which might seem dystopian or apocalyptic to other people. So I feel that it’s up to each reader to take the ruminations and check off the ones they like and the ones they don’t like so much. To five you an example, below I will mark in BLUE those ruminations I like best because I feel they might be useful to literary critics and writers and readers who want to understand what cli-fi is. And every reader will have different choices. I think that is what is most interesting about this thought exercise. Everyone will have different reactions. So here they are:

​• Cli-fi isn’t a marketing term or a bookstore shelving category, and it’s more than a literary term. It’s a password into the future and those who know it, know.

​Cli-fi is more than a genre term, much more than that: it’s a code word, a password, a secret handshake; it is bringing us together as one

​ Cli-Fi is not for you or your children or grandkids, no. It’s codeword for future generations, as yet unborn. And born they shall be. In next 30 generations.​

Cli-Fi cannot, will not, save us from what’s coming. Too late for that. But it’s here, now, always. We have 30 generations to prepare. See?

In the future, come 30 more generations of man, there will be no Cli-Fi. By 2500 A.D. (Anthrocenus Deflexus) it will be too late.

People want cli-fi to offer solutions, comfortable happy fixes. Aint gonna happen. We are ”doomed, doomed” as a species, and we did it to ourselves.

​• Cli-Fi cannot, will not, save us from what’s coming. Too late for that. But it’s here, now, always. We have 30 generations to prepare. There’s time.

​• Cli-fi won’t make much of a difference either way you define it. It’s just here, now, beckoning future writers. It’s not sci-fi, never was

Cli-fi is more than a mere genre: it’s a cri de coeur, a warning flare, a pathway to the future before it’s too late. See? #CliFi’s here now​

If the rising new literary term “cli-fi” makes you ‘cringe’ at first sight or hearing, don’t give up on it yet. With time, you will come to see it for what it is.

​ Cli-fi is not sci-fi, it is not eco-fiction, it is not subgenred to anything earlier. #CliFi is a hashtag burning its stamp into our very skin, as we prepare.

​Cli-fi is more than a genre term, much more than that: it’s a code word, a password, a secret handshake; it is bringing us together as one.

Cli-fi wasn’t just a case of slapping a new name on an old genre. It’s much deeper and existential than that. Think game-changer, new directions.

We’ll never make it out of here alive. That’s cli-fi in a nutshell. Man the lifeboats, prepare to test the seas of one season after the next.

Cli-fi defines a line the sands of time that no man can cross without trepidation or reverence. There’s a reason we are here. What is it?

If cli-fi is one thing, it’s a chance to choose our future. One door leads here, another door leads there. Choose wisely: Your descendants are waiting.

There’s a tragic flaw in our genes, a selfish shellfish that doesn’t want to share. This DNA will be our downfall. This Earth shall abide.

Cli-fi doesn’t choose sides. We do. Choose your weapon, use it wisely. We are here by the grace of God, and someday we won’t be. God knows.

You could say that in a post-sci-fi world, cli-fi has come to rescue us from oblivion. Not true. No way.

You might not really be interested in cli-fi, or where it is going. But trust me, cli-fi is interested in you. Why? Becos the End is nigh

When all is said and done, cli-fi points in only one direction. It’s for everyone to find it on their own. ON THE BEACH from 1957 has clues.

Cli-fi is not about who coined it or who popularized it. It’s about much more pressing things, like how many more generations before the End?

I never met a future I didn’t like. No, that can’t be true. Some futures spell the end of humankind. It’s in the cards. Choose your exit.

Cli-fi is neither pro nor con. It just is. Take your pick. Choose yr sides. We are at war w/ a future that threatens all futures. Arise!

Cli-fi is so much a part of this world that on first hearing the word or seeing it in print, it slips right by, invisble, unnoticed.

If by some remote chance you find yourself reading a cli-fi novel without realizing it’s cli-fi, you have arrived.

There are are still 30 generations to be born before the real apocalypse begins. This now is just a rehearsal. An audition.

Cli-fi leads to a meeting of the minds, borderless, rudderless, unconsolable. Will we get there on time?

If you think time is running out, or has already run out, in terms of the unspeakable cli-fi future we face, you are very close to solving the riddle. Why are we here?

I don’t want to sound pessimistic, as optimism must abound and console us. But listen to the wind, hear the chimes sing, ring.

Cli-fi has a place in our hearts and minds, now and forever. But forever is no longer forever. We sold the farm.

Cli-fi can, and will, shine a light on the darkness that is about to befall us. Let’s stick together and shoulder the burden.

You didn’t know cli-fi was coming. Nobody did. It’s taken us by surprise.

There will be days when cli-fi is beyond us, unscoutable, undetected. All the more reason to pay attention.

Cli-fi doesn’t mean resignation or giving in to the darkness ahead. To the contrary, it means taking up arms.

If a time shall come when all else fails, cli-fi may just come to the rescue. Make room.

Cli-fi cannot answer all our questions or undo the deeds we have done. No. But she can unburden us of our fears.

There will come a time when there is no time left. That’s where, and when, cli-fi comes in.

Who will write the cli-fi of the future? They will be legion, legends. Welcome them.

Cli-fi is more than a mere genre term, much more than a literary term. It’s a battle cry, a cri decoeur, a shout-out to future generations: “We tried to warn you!”

Climate change is more than a fact of life. It is the result of human ingenuity, greed, rapaciousness and fear. Fear not: cli-fi is here. Write it.

I came to the table naive and unquestioning. I left totally convinced there will be dead people, lots of dead people. That was the genesis of cli-fi.

You might not want to go down the cli-fi road, and that’s okay. It’s not a pretty picture, not a happy selfie. It’s disaster, writ large.

In the long and rambling history of humankind, cli-fi will be just a blip on the radar screen. Pay it no heed.

You weren’t born yesterday. Your descendants may not even be born at all, ever. That’s how unfathomable cli-fi is.

If you can manage to fit the personal stories of cli-fi between the covers of a book, do it. With trepidation. Know your audience.

Cli-fi will have no denouement, no act three, no happy ending, no Greek chorus, no social media take-away. Push send.

Sorry, but this is how cli-fi is going to be, in the Anthropocene. Just 12 letters spelling doom.

I wish there was some cli-fi way out of here, but there ain’t. Ain’t ain’t ain’t. Ain’t ain’t ain’t times, ten thousand times ain’t.

QUESTION: So in the end, what were you driving at?

DAN BLOOM: You know, as this all unfolded, I had no idea what I was doing, nor did I want to know what I was doing. I just did it. They came to me, when I made in the evenings or in the early mornings. I hope they will prove useful to some people — maybe cli-fi novelists working now or in the future with the genre, or maybe readers or literary critics or academics writing papers about cli-fi for academic or research journals. I amost feel like this was a kind of automatic writing. I just wrote down what was in my mind, and one idea led to another, one by one. But not all of them “work.” But I will let others decide for themselves which ones work and which ones don’t. For them. For me, they all work. I was just sitting in bed jotting things down to myself.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sunbury Press has released Ricky Bruce’s Sucked Into Cyberspace, an adventure for middle-grade readers.

About the Book:When he learns that his father has disappeared from Caldecott Preparatory (aka CPU), one of the most prestigious computer and technology schools in the country, eleven year old Ty Hansen enrolls in summer camp classes and changes his name to Devon Riley in hopes of solving the mystery. When Devon arrives on the campus, he is thrown into a whirlwind of strict teachers, bullies, and the magnificent world of technology.

While keeping up with his work, he befriends, Mina Kim, the daughter of another teacher. They work together on completing new levels of the school’s virtual game, VOLT. But something feels off about VOLT, and the programming seems to take on a life of its own.

What is going on with VOLT? And where could Devon’s father be? How far would you go to rescue a loved one who suddenly disappeared?

Excerpt:
The way Devon saw it, he had one choice left if he ever wanted to see his father, Kirk Hansen, again. He must return to the scene of the crime.

Devon pushed his glasses up over his freckled nose and climbed the front steps of Caldecott Preparatory, or CPU as the junior high and high school students called it. Devon couldn’t help but feel a rush of satisfaction. This would be his home for the next week. He was eleven years old and going to summer camp at one of the most prestigious computer and technology schools in the country. It was a one shot chance for kids like him who wanted to get into CPU. The special summer session was an opportunity for the teachers at CPU to find the best and brightest in the country too.

Devon gazed up at the building, which resembled a cylinder surrounded by three, spinning rings. On the inside, each of the rings contained classrooms with computers and data centers. There was the gaming deck, a theater, and offices on the first floor. Classrooms for high school were located on the third floor, and the middle school, where Devon was headed, was on the second floor. The dorms for CPU were located within walking distance of the main campus.

He’d come here to learn, but that was secondary. The real reason he’d changed his name from Ty Hanson to Devon Riley, had little to do with gaming or school; he was here to find his father’s abductor. It seemed crazy to him that his dad could have disappeared from a school filled with such great minds, but when he considered the evidence, nothing else made sense. October 15, 2030, would forever be scratched in his memory as the day his father, Kirk Hansen, vanished. His father was a teacher at CPU at the time of his disappearance. Moreover, after the incident, he’d received an email from his father with an IP address located on school grounds. The police investigation had turned up no leads, but Devon never shied away from a problem. He knew his father was alive, even if the cops couldn’t find him.

With a renewed focus, Devon reached the top of the staircase and moved into a crowd of students. The girl on his left was staring at him. Devon suddenly felt sweaty. He glanced to the side at the girl he remembered from orientation and smiled.

The girl laughed. “As if!” She gave him a snobby look and swung her backpack over her shoulder toward Devon.

Devon dodged the backpack, took a few awkward steps to the side, and one step back. Off balance, he fell down the staircase, right toward a group of students.

About the Author:
Rick Crawford, aka Ricky Bruce, lives in San Jose, California with his wife Marcia. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a Master of Arts in Education. He has 15 years of teaching experience and is currently an Educational Specialist for a charter school. He is the author of several other books including Stink Bomb, Ricky Robinson-Braveheart, and Dot and Scribble Fall into Adventure. View his website at www.rickybruce.com.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa.— Sunbury Press has released Beth Lancione’sSolomon Screech Owl’s Antarctic Adventure.. The book was illustrated by Kathy Haney.

About the Book:
In the third of Solomon Screech Owl’s stories, Sollie travels to the bottom of the world, exploring the Antarctic where he meets many of the strange and wonderful creatures that dwell there.

About the Author & Illustrator:
The late Beth Lancione, formerly of Etters, PA, retired from a long career in public education and began what she hoped would be a long second career as an author of children’s books. The Solomon Screech Owl stories, conceived as an eight book series in which Sollie will visit the seven continents in his quest to see all that the world has to show him, was inspired by Beth’s love for her grandchildren, her enjoyment of adventurous travel, and her experiences working with owls as a volunteer at a rescue facility for injured birds of prey.

Kathy Haney, a retired high school art teacher, resides in Salem, Oregon. She is an active award-winning artist, creating drawings and watercolor paintings, designing posters, and illustrating books. An area of special interest for her is early childhood literacy, having taught young parents the value of reading to their infants, volunteering in Guatemala’s efforts to increase literacy in indigenous peoples, and proudly being the first person to read a book to her grandchildren. Kathy and her husband, Gary, love to travel, and much of her artwork reflects the peoples and cultures they encountered. She is excited to share the adventure of travel with Solomon’s readers.

Beth and Kathy had been friends since high school. The Solomon Screech Owl series is their literary collaboration.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for January, 2016. Dr. Arif Shaikh took the top spot with his compilation of 365 tips for personal growth Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul. John E. Wade II’s Bipolar Millionaire took the #2 spot.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for January, 2016 (by Revenue)

Rank

Last Month

Title

Author

Category

1

—

Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul

Dr. Arif Shaikh

Self-Help

2

NEW

The Bipolar Millionaire

John E Wade II

Biography

3

6

Capital Murder

Chris Papst

Investigation

4

—

Ionica

Catalina Petcov

Biography

5

NEW

Choice of Enemies

M A Richards

Spy Thriller

6

—

The Savage Apostle

John Kachuba

Historical Fiction

7

14

Jesus the Phoenician

Karim El Koussa

History

8

11

The Penns’ Manor of Spread Eagle and the Grist Mills of the Upper Mahantongo Valley

Steve Troutman

History

9

10

Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last

Mike Campbell

History

10

23

Call Sign Dracula

Joe Fair

War Memoir

11

16

Hour 30

Brandon Musgrave

Memoir

12

NEW

Between Good and Evil

R Michael Phillips

Detective Thriller

13

8

Murder in Tuxedo Park

William Lemanski

Detective Thriller

14

—

The Heatstroke Line

Ed Rubin

Climate Fiction

15

21

From Blue Ground

Joe Harvey

YA Fiction

16

12

The B Team

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

17

—

The Sign of the Eagle

Jess Steven Hughes

Historical Fiction

18

—

Pink Flamingos All Around

Matt Anderson

Childrens

19

19

Winter of the Metal People

Dennis Herrick

Historical Fiction

20

9

The Closer

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

21

1

The Keeper of the Crows

Kyle Alexander Romines

Thriller Fiction

22

—

Raising Monarchs

Sue Fox McGovern

Self-Help

23

NEW

Rabid Philanderer’s, Inc.

Nancy Williams

Thriller Fiction

24

25

The Death Machine

Charles Godfrey

Historical Fiction

25

—

The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf

Ron Knorr & Clemmie Whatley

History

26

4

Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess

Barbara Trainin Blank

Biography

27

3

Pit Bulls

Anthony Julian

History

28

—

Perilous Journey

Ted Brusaw

Historical Fiction

29

30

Freemasons at Gettysburg

Sheldon Munn

History

30

15

That Night at Surigao

Ernie Marshall

History

Sunbury Press has wrapped up its best January ever. Compared to last January, sales were up slightly at 2.5%. EBook sales continued their slide, dropping 12% from January 2015. Overall, sales increased over 9% from December.

“Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul” grabbed the top spot thanks to author activities. John E. Wade II’s reissued biography “The Bipolar Millionaire” debited at #2 due to author publicity. Chris Papst’s “Capital Murder” surged to #3 due to renewed interest in the Harrisburg mayoral scandal. “Ionica,” Catalina Petcov’s biography climbed to #4 in preparation for her book release event. “Choice of Enemies” by M A Richards was released in January and took #5 thanks to author activities and direct sales. “The Savage Apostle” by John Kachuba charted at #6. Karim El Koussa continued to see success with “Jesus the Phoenician,” garnering #7 thanks to export orders. Steve Troutman’s “The Penns’ Manor…”, #8, continued to chart thanks to sales up state. Mike Campbell’s “Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last” notched up one spot to #9 because of continued interest in the missing aviatrix. “Call Sign Dracula” by Joe Fair soared to #10 thanks to author events. Dr. Brandon Musgrave’s “Hour 30” charted at #11 due to text book orders from medical schools. R. Michael Phillips’ “Between Good and Evil” debuted at #12 thanks to orders from the author’s fanbase. William Lemanski’s “Murder in Tuxedo Park” slipped to #13 as Christmas orders from the New York town ebbed. Ed Rubin’s “The Heatstroke Line” surged to #14 as interest in climate fiction increased. Joe Harvey’s “From Blue Ground” continued to chart, bumping up to #15 thanks to online orders. Alan Mindell’s novels “The B Team” and “The Closer” continued on the list at #16 and #20 thanks to author activities in the San Diego area. Jess Steven Hughes’ “The Sign of the Eagle” returned to the rankings at #17 due to author appearances in the northwest. Matt Anderson’s “Pink Flamingos All Around” was the only childrens book in the rankings at #18, bolstered by an appearance at Smithsonian.com. “Winter of the Metal People” by Dennis Herrick held at #19 thanks to author appearances in New Mexico. Kyle Romine’s “Keeper of the Crows” slipped to #21 from #1. “Raising Monarchs,” Sue Fox McGovern’s how-to book about raising butterflies, climbed to #22 due to interest in butterfly recover. Nancy Williams’ “Rabid Philanderers, Inc.” debuted at #23 thanks to orders from the Meadville, PA community. Charles Godfrey’s “The Death Machine” continued to chart at #24 thanks to ongoing author activities. “The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf” by Ron Knorr and Clemmie Whatley returned to the rankings at #25 thanks to online orders. Barbara Blank’s “Mary Sachs” slipped to #26, but continued to receive support from regional bookstores. Tony Julian’s “Pit Bulls” continued to chart at #27 following a strong Christmas season for this title. Ted Brusaw’s “Perilous Journey” eeked onto the list at #28 thanks to orders from friends and family. Sheldon Munn’s “Freemasons at Gettysburg” remained on the list at #29 as orders continued from venues in the battlefied town. Ernie Marshall’s “That Night at Surigao” rounded at the list at #30.